Retro Synth Table oscillator in Logic Pro for iPad
The synthesizer oscillators are used to generate one or more waveforms. You set the basic tonal color with the chosen waveform or waveforms, adjust the pitch of the basic sound, and set the level relationships between oscillators. The signal of one or both oscillators is then sent to other parts of the synthesizer engine for shaping, processing, or manipulation. See filter controls, amp and effect controls, modulation, and global and controller settings.
Wavetable synthesis is useful for creating evolving textures and more clinical sounds. It is well-suited for pad creation, basses, and sound effects. Despite the clean tone, wavetable synthesis can also sound warm when combined with the right filter type. A wavetable consists of a series of single-cycle waveforms.
Table oscillator 1 and 2 parameters
Wavetables pop-up menu: Choose a factory or custom wavetable.
Custom Wavetable: Loads the custom wavetable in memory. You can switch between this and a factory wavetable.
App Wavetables submenu: Load a factory-supplied wavetable. You can switch between a factory wavetable and the custom wavetable.
Reverse Wavetable button: Reverses playback of the loaded wavetable. For example, a wavetable with 10 waveforms would sequentially play waveform 10 through to 1 when reversed.
Oscillator 1/2 Shape knobs and fields: Rotate to move through the waveforms in the active wavetable. A wavetable consists of a series of single-cycle waveforms.
Semitone knob and field: Rotate to set the pitch of oscillator 2—in semitone steps, over a range of ±2 octaves.
Detune knob and field: Rotate to precisely adjust the frequency of oscillator 2 in cents (1 cent = 1/100th semitone).
Table oscillator modulation and mix parameters
Shape Mod knob and field: In shape mode, set the modulation intensity. In formant mode, stretch or compress the formant spectrum of the active wavetable. The centered (off) position disables all wavetable shape modulation with the LFO or filter envelope. The mode is chosen with the Osc Env Target pop-up menu.
Left of center = LFO modulation.
Right of center = Filter Envelope modulation.
Note: This parameter is also available as the Wave Variation (Formant) real-time modulation target. See Retro Synth global and controller settings.
Osc Env Target pop-up menu: Switch between shape and formant modes.
Shape mode: Choose waveforms from default or custom wavetables with the Shape knobs.
Formant mode: Use the Shape Modulation knob to stretch or compress the formant spectrum—a series of fixed frequency peaks—in the active waveform (chosen with the Shape knobs). This is similar to grain compression in a granular synth.
Vibrato Depth knob and field: Rotate to set the amount of vibrato (pitch modulation).
Oscillator Mix slider and field: Move to crossfade (set the level relationships) between the oscillators.
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